


We Are the Blueberry Gems

by handschuhmaus



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff, Gen, My First Work in This Fandom, Toddler Steven, U-pick, Winnie-the-Pooh References, probably not canon compliant
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-10
Updated: 2015-06-11
Packaged: 2018-04-03 23:12:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4118200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/handschuhmaus/pseuds/handschuhmaus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steven and his family go berry picking at a U-pick</p>
            </blockquote>





	We Are the Blueberry Gems

**Author's Note:**

> What am I doing, I haven't seen but about half a dozen episodes of this show, and yet the plot bunny grabbed hold last month at the berry patch...

Greg ushered Pearl and the toddler in under the netting, Rose Quartz proceeding, and grinning widely. Then he ducked in too, and looked around for any sign of the row numbers they were meant to be looking for. The two gems clutched their buckets and looked on with motherly expressions as Steven marveled at a butterfly that had chosen to land on his hand, Rose adoring, and Pearl fretting, just slightly, that something questionable might result. But then she was already slightly uncomfortable here at the U-pick, and that was probably what set her on edge with concern about Rose's offspring. 

A passing employee instructed them, "These two rows--you can pick any ones you see." She also looked at Greg a little oddly, and he realized self-consciously that a drop of the sunscreen Pearl (and Rose) had convinced him to apply (he was red from sun already, it wouldn't matter, but children apparently had delicate skin, so he would set a good example for Steven) was still on his nose, and not rubbed in. 

The family--or at least two thirds of it, since he'd told them they should have raspberries too and Garnet said that her and Amethyst would be better at that, plus Amethyst might lead baby Steven into mischief that would be unappreciated by the berry patch--proceeded down the line of bushes, and stopped by one that looked particularly vigorous and heavily laden with berries. The two gems scrutinized the bush with a bit of puzzlement while Steven's attention was diverted by a bumblebee. 

"Steven," Rose reminded him gently, "don't bother the bee."

The bee, perhaps grateful for this instruction, flew away, and Steven turned back towards the bush the gems were looking at. Greg saw what the difficulty might be. 

"You need to only pick the blue ones, and that bush hasn't got many ripe ones on it," he explained. "There _is_ some kind a' white stuff on 'em on the bush, but you can still tell."

Rose nodded at this, and led Steven further down the row, tucking his hand into hers. She looked magnificent here, with their baby boy. At a more promising bush, the pink gem sat unceremoniously down on the grass between rows and began to gather low hanging berries into her bucket. Steven watched his mom, gurgling happily, and Pearl studied a cluster of berries on a protruding branch before testing the waters and pulling one free. She looked at her first berry curiously for a moment before depositing it in her own bucket and proceeding to carefully pluck the blue berries from that cluster in her own idiosyncraticly graceful way, nearly as charming as Rose Quartz.

Greg went between two scrawnier bushes to the other side of the row--he didn't think more than two people and a toddler could effectively pick on the same side of the bush, and this way no one would have to chase after Steven if he slipped through the row. 

He and Rose were casting grins foolishly at each other in between stripping the abundance from the branches, when Pearl said "No, Steven."

The two parents looked at the toddler, who had found a big ripe blueberry with his chubby fingers and was about to pop it into his mouth. Relief settled on both of them; he wasn't trying to eat a bug or a piece of mulch or something else potentially harmful. 

"It's just a blueberry," Greg tried to reassure her. "It's not going to hurt him to eat one unwashed."

"Maybe not," Pearl admitted, though as if not entirely convinced, "but it _says_ not to, and it's bad U-pick etiquette. I read where it said that. "

"He can taste one, I bet everyone does." Greg defended his son. For once Steven was being entirely obedient, and the blueberry in his small hand hovered inches from his mouth while he looked at his mother for guidance. 

"You can eat _one_ berry, Steven, and try to save the rest for after we're finished," Rose declared, and smoothed one of the toddler's curls back away from his face.

"'kay, Mommy," Steven agreed and popped the berry in. He chewed solemnly for a minute and pronounced "Yum-yum!"

"Here, Steven, do you think you could pick the blue ones right here?" Pearl suggested a minute later, holding a branch out towards him. She winced, though, when with childish enthusiasm, he included a leaf and two green berries in the pickings he dumped in her basket. 

Sensing her impatience, Greg suggested, "Why don't you come over here and I'll tell you about when I was a little boy and we picked berries?" 

Since Pearl and Rose Quartz were both picking on the same side of the bush, they moved on to the next one faster, and Steven, growing bored after hearing about his grandmother's dog who always wanted to be given a berry or at least petted while you were picking, slipped back over to his mother and began to hum.

**Author's Note:**

> To be continued...


End file.
